Regional Representative, Central America

Status: Family posting

Location: to be determined

Duration of contract: three years’ contract (with possible extension)

Start date: October 2025

Please note that applicants must obtain an endorsement from a Christian church to which they belong.

Lutheran World Federation (LWF) World Service

LWF World Service is the humanitarian and development arm of the Lutheran World Federation. We are a widely recognized, international, faith-based organization working in over 20 countries. We seek to bring people of all backgrounds together in the common quest for justice, peace, and reconciliation in an increasingly complex and fragmented world. A commitment to the human rights of every individual, regardless of their status, guides our work, actions, and operations. We are particularly known for our timely, compassionate, and professional humanitarian work, and for our field presence in hard-to-reach areas. Our work is people-centered and community-based. Above all, we work with the most vulnerable, and in order to claim and uphold their rights, we engage proactively with local government and community structures.

For additional information, please see https://worldservice.lutheranworld.org/

Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to provide effective leadership for the LWF Central American office and for the successful implementation of a new Central America Strategy 2025 - 2031. This strategy encompasses a comprehensive program vision and plan to address migration, human mobility, and climate change—critical issues impacting the region. The role will be engaged in a thorough review and possible revision of the current organizational structure and operational model. As such, strong change management and leadership skills are essential.

While the position is currently based in El Salvador, the evolving strategic focus may necessitate relocation to other countries in the region such as Honduras or Guatemala.

Key responsibilities include representing the organization and building networks with relevant stakeholders to secure sustainable funding and partnerships that support the regional strategic vision. The position-holder is also accountable for ensuring the effective implementation of projects, programs, policies, and guidelines in alignment with the LWF Global Strategy and the Strategy for World Service, thereby achieving the organization’s goals and objectives in the region.

Required qualifications

University degree in a relevant subject with strong expertise on issues related to human

rights, sustainable development, and/or humanitarian response.

Knowledge and Experience

Further training and expertise in the above issues and/or other relevant areas (e.g.

strategic leadership, management, organizational change and people management, advocacy, climate justice, finance, monitoring and evaluation).

Conversant in Microsoft office suite.

Minimum 5 years of successful experience in a senior leadership/management position in the field of human rights, sustainable development, and/or humanitarian response.

Proven ability to enable teams, to coach, nurture and motivate colleagues, creating a conducive working environment.

Proven track record in enabling teams to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of programmatic work.

Proven capacity to model organizational values and champion innovation, resilience, and adaptability in the face of change.

Demonstrated success in expanding organizational funding through effective donor engagement, consistent resource mobilization strategies, and the implementation of robust financial management and compliance practices.

Proven capacity to navigate strategic processes of collaboration between international agencies and actors.

Language Skills

English: Advanced (written, spoken)

Spanish: Fluent (written, spoken)

LWF Core Skills

Analytical thinking - Level advanced*

Initiative - Level advanced

Leadership - Level resource

Achieving results - Level advanced

Accountability - Level resource

Working effectively with others - Level resource

LWF Functional Skills

Project Management - Level advanced

Organizational Change Management – Level advanced

Innovation - Level advanced

Communication / Networking - Level advanced

Facilitation / Negotiation - Level resource

Resources management / fundraising - Level resource

Enabling management - Level resource

*LWF 3 skills levels are: basis - advanced – resource

Main duties

People and Change Management Skills

Proven ability to manage as a team builder, enabling, coaching and motivating team

members to fulfil their mission, ensuring a conducive working environment.

Oversee and manage the process of implementing organizational changes, including implementing a new country strategy, operational shifts, and organizational cultural initiatives, to ensure smooth transitions and minimize disruption.

Lead the development, implementation, and continuous evolution of the country program strategy, ensuring alignment with the organization’s global vision and adapting to the local operating context.

Leadership and Strategic Contribution

Provides overall leadership to the LWF World Service program and its management team

Ensures strong and positive relationships with relevant Related Agencies to ensure the on-going health of the LWF Central America program, playing a leading role in the strategic development and evolution of the program.

Acts as representative for LWF World Service in Central America, engaging with government authorities, ministries, donors, UN agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

Represent the organization in official forums, promote program visibility, and advocate for organizational priorities.

Finance, resource mobilization, donor engagement and grant management

Identify and secure funding opportunities, lead proposal development, and negotiate contracts with donors.

Build and maintain strong relationships with institutional donors, government agencies, and implementing partners.

Develops strategies and operational plans and actively engages in negotiations with key stakeholders to uphold and develop a viable portfolio of projects and programs.

Oversees the elaboration of high-quality project proposals; and ensure funding from a diversified pool of donors.

Engages closely and successfully with finance mechanisms, enabling colleagues to deliver and strengthen the financial management and compliance of the program in line with donor, related agency and LWF World Service expectations and internal control systems.

Mitigate financial risks and ensure all activities adhere to internal and external compliance standards.

Programmatic work

Ensure that programmatic work is aligned with the LWF Central American Strategy 2025 - 2031 and other LWF policies and guidelines.

Ensure a consistent ‘local to global’ approach in programming, linking local rights- based programming to national, regional and international advocacy and action for change.

Oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of projects and programs, ensuring objectives are met on time and in compliance with donor and organizational standards.

Supervise staff, ensuring effective delivery and reporting in line with donor requirements and internal policies.

Enable the team to deliver rigorous planning, monitoring, evaluation and reporting (PMER) of programmatic work to the satisfaction of donors, related agencies and LWF Geneva.

Ensure good management of resources, operations and partnerships with special emphasis on capacity building and continued improvement.

Undertake monitoring of program/projects in the region.

Operational representation, Advocacy, Networking

Represent the organization in official forums, promote program visibility, and advocate for organizational priorities.

Takes a leading role in overall advocacy-related work to address issues relevant to LWF and our programming, acting as spokesperson on behalf of the LWF World Service Central America program.

Maintains close communication and cooperation with LWF´s Related Agencies and their local and regional offices; the LWF Member Church, other LWF World Service Programs in the region, and appropriate ecumenical and/or faith-based partners through frequent informal coordination and collaboration.

Fosters and maintains close coordination and collaboration with international and bilateral cooperating and co-financing partners, particularly with UN, Governments and their agencies, diplomatic representations, and other international and national NGOs; • plays an active role in the ACT.

Team Leadership and People Management

Oversee key operational functions, including human resources, facilities, health and safety, security, and local legal compliance.

Lead, manage, and develop the team, fostering capacity building and high performance in the region.

Enable the team through coaching, nurturing and motivating colleagues, creating a conducive working environment.

Ensure that management values, systems and roles are strengthened to enable the

smooth implementation of LWF programmatic work.

Ensure effective mechanisms for individual and team capacity building, continuous

learning and employee life cycle management.

Ensure that recruitment is gender-sensitive and inclusive.

Accountability

Ensures all interventions are undertaken in accordance with the LWF/WS policies and guidelines, specifically concerning the LWF Staff Code of Conduct, the Sphere Project and the Core Humanitarian Standard, as well as rights-based, gender responsive and climate sensitive programming.

Security Management

Responsible for security related to the LWF Central America program, ensuring that

security matters are monitored and addressed.

Ensures that a security plan is developed and employed for all levels of field staff and

visitors to the program.

Major challenges

To navigate strategic processes of collaboration between international agencies and actors, ensure rigorous compliance and reporting of programmatic and financial work, whilst ensuring a strong team spirit and conducive working environment.